Interview with Jonne Järvelä (Korpiklaani)

Here comes the first Non-Folk Metal interview that is about one artist Folk, already famous in the metal world (so obvious here!). I interviewed Jonne Järvelä (KORPIKLAANI) on his acoustic solo project.

01. Hi Jonne! You are currently working on one solo project. How and when came the idea ?

It’s been on my mind some time already. I got an idea already about a year ago and started to work with it little by little. Songs for the album came after that very smootly.

02. You announced this project will be acoustic. But is it in the spirit of SHAMAN, your previous band before KORPIKLAANI ?

Yes, it is an acoustic album and you can hear ”echoes” of Shaman because there is yoik singing quite much. also American indian way to chant by Yovan Nagwetch who took a part for the album comprehensive.

03. What are the instruments included there ? 

There is not a normal drum set used on the album at all but many kind of percussion. Like cajon, djembe, shaman drum, wood block’s and many other clink and clank’s. Acoustic guitar, mandolin, kantele, violafon, bass guitar, piano, mellotron, hammond, indian flute, violin, hurdy gurdy.

04. This year will be released your solo album... Musically speaking, how will it sound ?

It is very emotional and many people said it takes you with it to a journey. It is for me a little bit difficult to describe it, so people can then hear it when it’s time for it soon.

05. Don’t you have already one exact release date - at worse the month of release for your solo album ? :-)

I don’t have even a record label for it yet. I will finish it first and then I’ll start to think business thing.

06. What are the topics for your lyrics ?

There is for example a song about cockoo, which is a bird of death and many other things. The lyrics are more or less in the same spirit as KORPIKLAANI because most of the lyrics wrote Tuomas Keskimäki, who also writes most of the latest KORPIKLAANI lyrics.

07. What's the name of your solo project ? 

I mean is it "Jonne Järvelä" or just "Jonne", as the header of your facebook page can show us.

It is just Jonne.

08. Is it too early to know the track list, album title or artwork for your solo album ?

I will publish that information soon at the Facebook site: https://www.facebook.com/JonneJarvelaKorpiklaani

09. Many guests will be. Can you reveal us the names of the guests and their roles in your project ?

Santeri Kallio plays keyboards, 

Yovan Nagwetch indian chant and flute, 

Ante Aikio Sámi yoiks, 

Natalie Koskinen female vocals, 

Eero Haula male vocals, 

Tero Hyväluoma fiddle, 

Juho Kauppinen acoustic guitar, 

Samuli Mikkonen percussion, 

Bálint Varga classical guitar, 

Harri Lastu growl singing 

and Pertti Pesonen reading a poem, 

Santeri Kettu bass guitar.

10. …And what is your role on that record ?

I’m singing, play acoustic guitar, kantele, violafon, bass, different kind of percussion, hurry gurdy.

11. Why have you chosen these guests instead of others? What’s their particularity ?

Accidentally. I’ve spoken about this project to people around and they find it interesting thing and asked to join or I asked them to join. I’m glad to get these incredible people in to this project. Many of them are also part on live line-up.

12. Do you plan some gigs to promote your acoustic album ?

Yes, we are going to play live shows as well but not just because promoting the album. I like to play these songs with good people.

13. How Shamanism came to you exactly ?

I got used to it when I lived up north of Finland, Lapland. Sámi people has deep and strong roots with shamanism and they talk about it quite much.

14. Do you have some words for the Community of Sword Chant ?

See you around!  :)

Thank you for your time!

Thank you so much!